Eighteen-year-old freshman Christopher Matista is a new Film Production major student at Chapman University, STEVEN GEORGES, FOR THE REGISTER

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Students walk in with various banners for the different schools at Chapman University at the start of their Convocation Monday morning at the Harold Hutton Sports Center marking the start of their school year.STEVEN GEORGES, FOR THE REGISTER

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Keynote speaker Richard Bausch, an American novelist, short story writer, and Professor of Creative Writing at Chapman University, talks about his road to education during Chapman University's Convocation ceremony marking the start of their school year.STEVEN GEORGES, FOR THE REGISTER

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Incoming students for Chapman University wear their Class of 2017 Memory Stoles, a gift from the Alumni Association, during the school's Convocation ceremony marking the start of their school year.STEVEN GEORGES, FOR THE REGISTER

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James Doti, President of Chapman University, gives the welcoming remarks to the new students (Class of 2017) at the start of the school's Convocation ceremony marking the start of their school year.STEVEN GEORGES, FOR THE REGISTER

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A standing room only crowd fills the Harold Hutton Sports Center during Chapman University's Convocation ceremony marking the start of their school year.STEVEN GEORGES, FOR THE REGISTER

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Allyson Bueno, left, places a Class of 2017 Memory Stole on Angela McCurdie as new students are asked to place the Stoles on each other during Chapman University's Convocation ceremony marking the start of their school year.STEVEN GEORGES, FOR THE REGISTER

Robert Hackney, Pipe Major for the Nicholson Pipes and Drums in Westminster, plays the bagpipes during the start of Chapman University's Convocation Monday morning at the Harold Hutton Sports Center marking the start of their school year.STEVEN GEORGES, FOR THE REGISTER

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Chapman University students, including the "Chapman Orientation Singers" in the front row, attend Chapman University's Convocation ceremony marking the start of their school year.STEVEN GEORGES, FOR THE REGISTER

Chapman University student David Rodriguez. BRITTANY HANSON, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Dressed in full academic regalia, the faculty and staff of Chapman University marched up the steps of the Hutton Sports Complex for the annual convocation ceremony Aug. 21.

The ceremony is the formal start of the school year – so formal it has bagpipes. The entrance of the university mace, a marching of flags and official welcomes from Chapman president Jim Doti were all part of the event.

Also featured was the gift of white “Memory Stoles” that Chapman University Alumni Association gave to the incoming freshmen of the class of 2017. The stoles are meant to be written on by professors and friends during the student’s years at the university.

We stopped students and families at the university’s convocation ceremony and asked, “how is the school year going for you so far, and what do you hope will happen in 2013/2014?”

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